The Heavenly Realm

David Oscarson's new Deus Regit collection is a testament to his faith in God and the goodness of humanity.

- SUZANNE C. LEE

Since the beginning of humanity, we have used light and darkness as primary metaphors. Darkness has long been associated with the primordial, occluded, and chaotic. Light is revelatory-it allows for all creation. Our very existence is predicated on the light of the sun. The Enlightenment period equated darkness with ignorance, the refusal to acknowledge reality. In the modern world, light and darkness are icons of good and evil, and the imagery figures most prominently in theology. David Oscarson captures this magnificent duality in a new fountain pen collection, meant to convey the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

The new David Oscarson Deus Regit ("God Rules") collection is among the most personal art Oscarson has produced. While the pen can be enjoyed by anyone, its creation is rooted in Oscarson's faith-he is a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For Oscarson, the Deus Regit pen is a work of gratitude to God, a testimony to His mercy and goodness; God is "the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God" (D&C 88:6, 12-13).

[ed: While there are many competing ideas on the correct way to refer to God in terms of gender, we have made the editorial decision to refer to God as "He/Him/His" throughout this article to reflect Oscarson's personal faith.] Each Deus Regit piece is hand-crafted in solid sterling silver and features a fresco-like image of God descending from Heaven, breaking through cloud barriers and surrounded by heavenly hosts who sing his praises. The clip resembles God's scepter and holds a diamond, a symbol of his strength and might-diamonds are considered nearly indestructible.